The Minnesota Department of Transportation is pushing back the bid opening for the $285 million to $310 million bridge superstructure contract, the single-biggest work package within the estimated $626.4 million St. Croix Crossing project.

Project leaders on Thursday outlined how work will unfold as they prepare to limit traffic on the St. Croix River and begin building foundations for five river piers that will support the St. Croix Crossing.

Minnesota Department of Transportation officials said in memorandum filed in U.S. District Court Tuesday that a lawsuit seeking to halt approach work for the St. Croix Crossing project has “no merit” and that suspension of the work for a few months could delay completion up to two years and increase the project’s cost by millions.

Maple Grove-based C.S. McCrossan is relying on a two-pronged legal strategy in its effort to be reinstated as a contractor on the $626.4 million St. Croix Crossing project, a job McCrossan lost despite having the lowest bid and best technical score.

C.S. McCrossan’s bid to do Highway 36 approach work for the new St. Croix River bridge was nearly $6 million less than the next lowest bid, but the Maple Grove-based highway contractor apparently won’t get the job.

Edward Kraemer & Sons is the apparent low bidder for the first of two major contracts to be awarded for the construction of the new four-lane bridge over the St. Croix River between Oak Park Heights and St. Joseph, Wis.

Minnesota and Wisconsin transportation officials are ramping up planning and prep work for the $626.4 million St. Croix Crossing, a long-anticipated span to relieve the aging and congested Stillwater Lift Bridge.